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Covid-19 is set to cost almost 10% of all construction workers their jobs by September, according to a Construction Leadership Council survey.

The organisation’s people survey has found that there is an anticipated reduction in the construction workforce of 9.9% in the next three months.

There is also expected to be a 7.7% reduction in the number of directly employed workers across the industry by September. 

In the longer term, 43% of respondents anticipate making redundancies, with up to 20% of their workforce being affected.

There is also expected to be a 26.7% reduction in the number of self-employed and agency workers in the next three months. 

> Coronavirus: The companies making covid-19 job cuts 
> Coronavirus webinar – The CLC’s Roadmap to Recovery

Homebuilders, specialist contractors and contractors are the most significant users of selfemployed and agency workers and while homebuilders and specialist contractors expect to reduce their numbers by just 4% and 11% respectively, contractors are looking to reduce self-employed and agency workers by 42%.

Other sectors most likely to reduce their numbers are material suppliers, who expect a 54.5% drop, and consultants, who anticipate a reduction of 45.6%.

It found that 32% of direct employees are currently furloughed, with all sectors of the industry having accessed the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme at some point.

The survey said 43% of apprentices are currently furloughed, with 6.7% likely to lose their jobs by September. In the longer term, 10% of respondents are expecting to make apprentices redundant.

Almost two-thirds of companies expect to take on fewer apprentices at the next intake in September, 38% are looking to recruit the same number, with just 2% planning to take on more.

Just 21% of respondents have a graduate scheme, with clients most likely to run schemes

It is anticipated that there will be a 32% fall overall in the number of graduate places available at the next intake, although homebuilders and contractors are expecting a smaller drop of between eight and 12%.